Getting into a car accident can prove incredibly traumatic regardless of who caused the accident or what factors may have contributed to it. If you do not carry insurance, you may have a lot of fears regarding your right to compensation.
Can you pursue compensation after a car accident even if you do not have insurance? How does a lack of insurance impact your right to compensation? If you get into a car accident without insurance, you may need a lawyer to help you navigate the road to compensation.
Can I Receive Compensation After a Car Accident If I Don’t Have Insurance?
If you suffer injuries or property damage after an accident, you can usually pursue compensation for your injuries and for the damage to your property. Nevada is a tort state: that is, Nevada law assigns direct liability to the party that causes the accident, and that party’s insurance will usually pay out damages for the accident.
If the other driver’s negligent actions caused the accident, you can pursue compensation through that driver’s insurance policy. Compensation may include:
Property Damage
Most car accident claims include a component for property damage. Car accidents frequently involve immense property damage. You may lose the use of your vehicle entirely, or you may have a hefty repair bill. Most Nevada car insurance claims include compensation for the damage to that vehicle. However, keep in mind that if you do not carry car insurance yourself, you may be restricted by the insurance policy carried by the liable driver. In Nevada, minimum liability auto insurance offers $20,000 in compensation for an accident.
Bodily Injury
If you suffer injuries in a car accident, and you do not carry auto insurance, you can recover compensation for some of those injuries through the liable driver’s insurance policy. Minimum liability insurance provides up to $25,000 per person injured in an accident, depending on the extent of the damages you suffered.
In addition to direct medical bills, you may have the right to include your other financial losses as part of your claim. Nevada law does allow uninsured drivers to claim compensation for lost wages and for pain and suffering through the liable driver’s insurance policy.
The Limitations Posed By a Lack of Auto Insurance
If you do not carry auto insurance, you may find yourself facing considerable consequences after an accident. While you can file a claim through the other driver’s insurance company, your lack of insurance could mean significant limitations on how much compensation you can recover.
Legal Penalties
The police officer that responds to the scene of the accident will collect your insurance information as well as the liable driver’s insurance information. Admitting that you do not carry auto insurance may carry significant penalties, including:
- Fines, including a fine of $1,000 or more if you have failed to carry auto insurance for six months or more
- A loss of your driving privileges until you have insurance again or complete necessary requirements
- A reinstatement fee
The reinstatement fee and fines associated with a lack of insurance go up each time you fail to carry adequate insurance. In most cases, it is less expensive to simply carry Nevada auto insurance in the first place than it is to ignore your insurance requirements.
Private Penalties
Failure to carry auto insurance can also have a significant impact on you following a car accident in Nevada. Many drivers find themselves dealing with immense, long-term financial consequences when they do not carry adequate insurance.
Struggles with Medical Bills
Nevada drivers do not have mandated PIP coverage: that is, they do not have any specific minimum amount that they have to carry. Nevada insurers do, however, offer personal injury protection coverage, which can provide much-needed coverage for any injuries sustained in an accident.
PIP coverage is no-fault insurance. It provides immediate assistance with medical bills and compensation for lost wages regardless of who caused an auto accident, which means that you will not have to wait for a complicated investigation process or for insurance companies to drag out that much-needed compensation.
If you do not carry PIP coverage, on the other hand, you may find yourself struggling to take care of your medical bills while you wait for a personal injury claim to go through. You may also find that a personal injury claim based on the other driver’s minimum auto insurance does not offer adequate provision for the injuries you have sustained, which may leave you struggling even once you have completed your claim.
Inability to Repair Your Vehicle
Nevada minimum auto insurance offers $20,000 in compensation for property damage sustained due to an auto accident. While that vital insurance can help provide much-needed compensation for many types of damages, it may not fully account for all the damage to an expensive vehicle.
Suppose, for example, that you drive a vehicle valued at $30,000: minimum auto insurance might not fully provide for repairs or replacement of that vehicle. A lack of auto insurance could prevent you from taking care of the repairs you need.
Your Next Steps After an Accident Without Insurance
If you get into an accident in Nevada without auto insurance, your next steps can have an immense impact on your ability to recover compensation.
- Make sure that you report the accident. You may be tempted to avoid reporting the accident to avoid an official record of your lack of insurance, but failure to report the accident could make it more difficult for you to pursue compensation.
- Seek medical care for any injuries that you sustained during the accident.
- Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. The longer you wait to talk to a lawyer, the more difficult it could prove to establish your full right to compensation.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Now
If you suffered injuries or damage in a car accident without insurance, working with a lawyer can prove critical. Contact Pacific West Injury Law today for a free consultation.
